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Sunil Mittal plots Bharti Telecom move to reclaim Airtel majority and consolidate control
Business
Published on 14 May 2026
Airtel’s Africa stake could rise toward 90%
Bharti Telecom chairman Sunil Mittal says the group should regain majority control of Bharti Airtel, after years when foreign and strategic investors diluted its dominance. Speaking to analysts, he backed a ₹28,220 crore share-swap with ICIL, which is expected to lift the Mittal family’s stake while narrowing the gap with Singtel. Bharti Telecom also plans to expand its ownership in Airtel Africa, potentially topping 78% and aiming for up to 90%, supported by buybacks and future consolidation.
- Mittal wants Bharti Telecom back to controlling Airtel at just over 50%
- A ₹28,220 crore share-swap with ICIL targets a tighter ownership gap with Singtel
- Bharti Telecom currently holds 40.47% of Bharti Airtel
- Airtel Africa ownership is set to rise to 78% after the deal closes
- Bharti Telecom may seek up to 90% in Airtel Africa via buybacks or block purchases
- Mittal’s long-term vision is over 800 million customers across India and Africa
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times